Process and apparatus for making, beer of low alcoholic content



Sept. 1, 1925.

H. E. DECKEBACH PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEER OF LOW ALCOHOLIC CONTENT Filed Sept. 20 1919 mvmroa A TToR/YE Y Patented Sept. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES HENRY E. DECKEBACH, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING,.'BEER OF LOW ALCOHOLIC CONTENT.

Application filed September 20, 1919. Serial No. 325,141.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known .that I, HENRY E. DECKEBAOH, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Processes and Apparatus for Making Beer of Low Alcoholic Content, of which the following is a specification.

An object of my invention is a means for removing alcohol from beer, without deleteriously affecting the taste thereof, and for recovering the alcohol that is removed.

In the accompanying drawing, in which I have illustrated an apparatus invention and by means of which I carry out my process v to be described.

Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal section and partly in side elevation of a fermenting tub and an alcohol condenser embodying my invention.

Fig. 2, is a sectional view upon line 2-2 of Fig. 1. v

Fig. 3, is a sectional view upon line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4, is an enlarged detail sectional view of the sight cup and the pipe in the upper part of the condenser.

e apparatus embodying my invention comprises a fermenting tub A, near the top of which is a cooling coil B and a heating coil C, and a condenser D which is connected to the fermenting tub by apipe at. Tub A has near its bottom an outlet faucet an and in its bottom a drain The condenser comprises a receiving drumand their accessories now In the top of the receiving drum d is a glass observing cup 01 which is held in a screw-threaded bore in the top of the cover by means of anut and a washer respectively. A pipe (Z projects thru the bottom of the drum into the top of the column d and at its upper end enters the observing cup d between which and the pipe is left an annular space for the flowof vapors from the drum into the pipe d and thence into the column d In the bottom of the drum d is located a coil 0!, which may be used either as acooling or as a heating coil. Within the center of the column d I have located a brine tank at, around which is coiled a wire or strip a? to break the flow of vapors and liquid, withinwhich tank is an exit pipe 03 which extends thru (1', a column d embodying my D the bottom to a point adjacent the top thereof, and entrance pipe d which extends thru the bottom of the tank. Upon the side of the column and near the bottom thereof,

I locate a gas separator E which isdivided by a central diaphragm 6 into a lower chamher 6 and an upper chamber 0 Thru the diaphragm projects a goose-neck e In the bottom of chamber a is a discharge tube 0*. Upon the sides of the fermenting tub and of the drum, are suitable gauges A and D respectively. v f

It will be observed that the spaces above the beer in tub A land within the condenser are closed and communicate with one another by way of the pipe d,-and that con-- densation in the condenser tends to produce a. vacuum in the tub.

In carrying out my process, beer, that has passed thru the usual processes of brewing is brought to the fermenting tub A at about a temperature of 42 degrees Fahrenheit, where it receives its yeast in the usual way. Then the fermentation is permitted to proceed until the beer has reached approximately atemperature of48 degrees Fahrenheit. I then introduce brine. at about a temperature of 48 degrees Fahrenheit, into the coil B and introduce water ofa temperature from 80 degreesFahrenheit *to 125 degrees Fahrenheit .into the coil C. The flow of the brine thru its coilB, and of the hot water thru its coil C is continued until the alcohol in the beer has been reduced to the percentage desired. The cooperation of the hot water in the coil C disposed above the body of the beer and of the brine in coil B will cause an evaporation of alcohol to take place from the surface beer without causing the temperature of the body thereof to rise to any appreciable degree above 48 degrees Fahrenheit. Thus the evaporation of the alcohol is obtained without subjecting the body of the beer to any temperatures which would deleteriously affect its taste.

The vapors of alcohol rising from the surface of the tank would flow thru the pipe (Z into the receiving drum D, as would also carbonic acid gas which arose from the surface of the beer. In the receiving drum D the alcohol vapors would come into contact I with the cooling coil d thru which a circulation of cold, brine would be maintained. 'If anyfoam or liquid should pass thru tube d, a heating fluid may be passed thru coil contact with the cooling tank, and to condense them. They would then pass thru the pipe 6 into the chamber e,

' condenser from which they would be withdrawn thru the faucet c. Any carbonic acid gas in the alcohol would rise thru the goose-neck a, be filtered by water in the chamber 6 and would be withdrawn thru pipe e.

Having thus described my, I claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the' combination of a fermenting tub, an alcohol condenser, a pipe connecting the upper end of 'the tub to the condenser, the tub, and pipe confining a closed space, a heating coil within the upper part of the tub and adapted to assume a position immediately above the fermenting substance, and a cooling coil beneath the heating coil.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination f .a fermenting tub, an alcohol condenser, a pipe connecting the upper end of the tub to the condenser, the tub, condenser and pipe' confining a cl space, a heating coil within the upper part of the tub, a cooling coil beneath the heating coil, the condenser comprising a receiving drum, a column beneath the. drum, a brine tank within the column a central pipe extending thru the bottom of the drum to a point adjacent to its top, and an alcohol receiver at invention, what the bottom of and communicating with the drum.-

3. In a apparatus of the class described, the combination of a fermenting tub com prising a heating coil within the top of the tub, and adapted to assume a position immediately above the fermenting substance, a

cooling coil within the tub and beneath the hegting coil, and an outlet in the top of the tu 4; A process for making beer of alcoholic content nonviolative of the National lrohibition Act comprising placing beer and yeast in a fermentating tub, mentation to proceed to an amount now violative of the National Prohibition Act, then heating the surface of the beer and cooling the body thereof and withdrawing the alcoholic vapors from above the surface of the beer.

5. A process of maln'n holic content comprising eating the surface of a beer which contains alcohol of a volume nonviolative of the National Prohibition Act, and keepingthe body of the beer cool and withdrawing the alcoholic vapors from above the surface of the beer.

6. A process of making beerof low alcoholic content which comprises heating the surface of a beer which ,contains alcohol in National vaporizing a quantity nonviolative of the Prohibition Act and thereby I the alcohol at ing the body of the beer cool, recovering the alcoholic vapor from the immediate proximity of the body of the beer and condensing th vapor.

permitting fer-' the surface of the beer, keep.

beer of low alco- 7. An apparatus of the class described I comprising a fermenting vat having an attemperating coil arranged to be immersed in the fermenting liquid, a heating coil arranged in the space above the liquid, a delivery pipe, and means having a tendency to withdraw and condense the vapors from the fermenting vat.

8. The process comprisingthe steps of allowing a fermenting wort ture of 48 F. and maintaining it at ap:, proximately that temperature, and passing the'vapors and gases freed by the fermentation process through a region heated to. between and 125 F. into a low temperature region where they are condensed.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of Septo reach a tempera- 

